Between chat rooms, online games, IM, and the endlessly absorbing World Wide Web, it's easy to see online's allure: It's entertaining, educational, and interactive. But when a child gets hooked, it can also be alienating and all-consuming.

"Kids who spend too much time online miss out on normal human experiences," says Daniel Broughton, M.D., a pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic. "They may have trouble forming healthy relationships in the real world."

If you think your child might be overdoing the Internet:* Set boundaries. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests a maximum of two hours of screen time a day for all children, whether it's the computer or the TV, for school research or for fun. * Encourage her other interests. If she likes music, sign her up for guitar lessons. Or have her invite her friends over so she spends more time with other kids.* Keep the computer in a common space, such as the den or the kitchen, so you can monitor how long she uses it.* Look into products that help. Two new ones to try: ComputerTime, which lets you set limits on the number of hours kids can use the computer, and Windows Live OneCare Family Safety, a Web-based program that shows what your kids are looking at (and for how long), among many other features. (Computer Time, $40, softwaretime.com